Cork Area Commuter Rail Plan 'developing very well', says Irish Rail chairperson
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The new chairperson of Irish Rail has said that the Cork Area Commuter Rail plan is "developing very well".
The plan, which has received €185m investment from the Government so far and will see delivery of new rail infrastructure and electrification, is set to be completed by 2026.
The programme also involves developments and enhancements to the rail network from Mallow through Cork to Cobh and Midleton, and electrification and re-signalling across the three main lines of Mallow, Cobh, and Glounthaune to Midleton.
Chairperson designate at Irish Rail, Steve Murphy, told a meeting of the Oireachtas transport committee that he had been in Cork over recent days discussing the programme.
“We travelled the route of the Cork [Metro] — that’s developing very well as a project and we can see the new stations and how mobility will increase in the wider Cork area."
He was speaking hours after taking the 7am service from Kent Station — which Irish Rail have said in the past will become a "multi-modal integrated transport hub" as part of the wider plan.
Mr Murphy noted that plans like the Cork Area Commuter Rail programme "will change mobility and prosperity for people forever".
"The reality is, these are big ambitious projects. But as we go after those big prizes, we will hit challenges and problems.
"The partnership between Irish Rail and the Government will be tested in a different way — we’ve had a superb one so far to arrive at this point.
"As much as I need to encourage an environment of transparency in my role, we will need that in Government too."
On top of the refurbishing of the tracks, new stations are being planned at Blarney/Stoneview, Monard, Blackpool/Kilbarry, Tivoli, Dunkettle, Carrigtwohill West, Water Rock, and Ballynoe.
Ticketing integration will be a focus for the new chair, who said that no region had really "cracked" it bar parts of Asia.
He added: "Ticketing is a form of barrier for our customers, we create doubts. Removing those barriers is [something I will strive for]."
Green Party TD Brian Leddin was critical of the focus on Cork in Irish Rail's plans, saying that the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy also needed to receive attention.
Mr Leddin said: "It’s almost as if Cork is getting the attention because Cork sees itself as a second city.
"The real counter-weight to the Dublin/East Coast region is the Midwest and it should be Midwest and will be the Midwest with the Limerick/Shannon Metropolitan region.”